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1. Title:   wilson Web Site
Page:   https://www.myheritage.com/person-2525695_200294081_200294081/john-clark-hancock
Author:   Tom Jones

Notes
a. Note:   Y ANN GRAY (YARBOROUGH), March 07, 1867, Crawford County, Georgia; b. September 17, 1829, Pike County, Georgia; d. December 24, 1911, Crawford County, Georgia.
 Notes for JOHN CLARK HANCOCK:
 Reported in The Macon Daily Telegraph, Thursday Morning, June 9, 1887 is the following article:
 MURDER IN CRAWFORD
 Two prominent Farmers Engage in a Quarrel That Ends Fatally.
 "The news reached the city yesterday of a fearful tragedy which occurred six miles north of Knoxville in Crawford county, Tuesday evening, and which resulted in the killing of Mr. John Hancock, one of the oldest and most prominent farmers of that county, by Jerome Burnett, a son of Mr. A. J. Burnett, also a prominent farmer. The facts of the unfortunate occurrence as far as could be learned, are about as follows:
 The plantations of Hancock and Burnett adjoin, and until recently the families have been on very friendly terms. Several weeks ago Mr. Burnett's hogs broke into Mr. Hancock's field and damaged his crop considerably. He sent word to Burnett that if this occurred again, he would kill the hogs. This message provoked a reply, and several messages and threats were passed. Tuesday the hogs were again on the crops, and Mr. Hancock shouldered his gun and went to the field, where he was met by Burnett and his three sons, Homer, Watson and Jerome, the last armed with a shotgun. A quarrel ensued, which resulted as stated above, in Mr. Hancock being shot and killed by Jerome Burnett. An inquest was held over the body Tuesday evening. The jury brought in a verdict of murder against Jerome Burnett and against the father and two others as accessories to the crime. Warrants have been issued for the four, but no arrests had been made as late as yesterday noon.
 It is generally believed that the defendants are still in the county and will surrender themselves to the officers. It was reported that Hancock shot one of the Burnetts before he was killed by Jerome, but the report has not been verified. Mr. S. B. Causey came in town yesterday after the coffin and reports considerable excitement, as both families are well-known and have many friends. Jerome Burnett is a lad of about seventeen years old, the youngest of the sons. Mr. Hancock is over fifty and leaves a family."
 A death notice published in a local paper announced the death of Jerome Burnett, age 17, 9 June 1887. Revenge or remorse? (The notice was evidently in error since Jerome lived to stand trial for the murder of John C. Hancock.) Bobby Stokes, Crawford County researcher, says that Jerome disappeared rather than died. Evidently, there was a trial. In Bobby's notes he makes the statement, "This murder took place on 7 June 1887 in Crawford County, Ga. During the trial Albert Scarborough was called as a witness at the Sep[t. term of Superior court."
 A. J. Burnett was the husband of Martha Victoria Hancock who was a daughter of Morgan Hancock and Mary Brimberry which would have made Martha V. and John Clark Hancock cousins. Martha Hancock Burnett had died in March before this tragedy took place in June, so she was spared this heartache.
 John Clark Hancock survived 4 years of war from 1861, when he joined Company F of the 57th Georgia Reserves in Macon and was discharged in 1865 at Greensboro, North Carolina, only to be murdered by a relative. (NOTE: I have not been able to find any record of John's service during the War Between the States. See notes for John's widow, Epsy Ann Gray, for explanation for the claim that he was in service. JRH)
 The 1854 minutes of Mt. Paron Primitive Baptist Church lists John C. Hancock as a member. He had been recieved by baptism in June 1853. John is buried at Mt. Paron Church Cemetery which is on US 80 between Lizella and Roberta, GA. Although married twice, John Hancock had no children.
 John C. Hancock's toombstone reads: John C. Hancock was murdered June 7, 1887, aged 62 yrs. 6 mos.
 Source: Joyce Rape Harrison - Electronic: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/a/r/Joyce-R-Harrison/GENE28-0003.html

Note:  
 Note:
 JOHN CLARK HANCOCK, b. Abt. 1827, Crawford County, Georgia; d. June 07, 1887, Crawford County, Georgia; m. (1) MARTHA PERRY, December 23, 1849, Crawford County, Georgia; m. (2) EPS


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